Why We Fight
by SpiritVegeta
Summary: Why do we fight? What is it that drives us to wield our strength on the battlefield? Is it for fame? For pride? For personal goals? Is it because we have to? Or is it because we want to? Everyone has a different answer. But is there a real answer? Toushiro decides to find out. Short-Story.


**Why We Fight**

Why do we fight?

This is a question that all warriors are asked at some point. Head-Captain Yamamoto decided that this was the topic for his annual challenge to his squads.

Yamamoto: "Why do we fight? That is the topic for this challenge. I want all of you to think of why we fight and submit it by the end of the week. The one with the best answer will receive a bonus."

Soifon: "This'll be easy."

Kyoraku: "I'm pretty sure we all know our answers already."

Nearly all of the captains knew what they were going to say of why they fight. By the end of the day, all but one squad had submitted their answers. But Toushiro decided to do something different. He wanted to dive deeper into the question. He knew many warriors who each fought for different reasons. So he thought that he'd ask them all why they fight and come up with something at the end.

Rangiku: "You want to ask Goku and the others why they fight?"

Toushiro: "Yeah. I already know what the other captains are going to do. They're just gonna submit why they fight and no more. Byakuya's answer will be honor and pride. Kenpachi's will be for the fun of it. Their answers are obvious. But I want to do something different. I want to delve a little deeper. What's the real reason we fight? Is there a collected answer or is each one different?"

Rangiku: "That's a great idea, captain! I'd go for it!"

So Toushiro started asking all of the Z-Fighters the same question and wrote down the answer of each person for later. He started with the one he knew best.

Vegeta: "Why do I fight? To prove myself."

He asked Val next.

Val: "Why I fight? For my family and friends."

Heading to the World of the Living, Toushiro started asking the rest of the Z-Fighters. Goku was first.

Goku: "Why do I fight? Hm... I guess to get stronger!"

Krillin was next.

Krillin: "Because I feel like I have to. Someone has to."

Yamcha was next, although he soon regretted it.

Yamcha: "To impress the ladies, of course!"

Toushiro: "... ... (Sarcastically) How's that worked out?"

Yamcha: "Eh... No comment."

Toushiro then asked Hercule which was a mistake.

Hercule: "For the fame!"

Toushiro: "Clearly."

He asked Piccolo next.

Piccolo: "I fight to protect what I value."

Toushiro: "Finally, a good answer."

Piccolo: "You asked Hercule, didn't you?"

Toushiro: "And Yamcha, which were both mistakes."

Piccolo: "I have to ask-"

Toushiro: "Hercule said fame and Yamcha said for women! As if it wasn't obvious."

Piccolo: "That's what I though. So why did you ask them?"

Toushiro: "For some reason I thought they'd say something different."

Gohan was the last to be asked. Sadly, Toushiro caught him while he was in his Saiyaman getup and Videl was absent.

Gohan: "To defend the innocent and uphold justice, of course!"

Toushiro: "... ..."

Gohan: "Say... How'd you like to help me today, Toushiro?! My partner wasn't feeling well so now I'm in need of another! Whadda say?!"

Toushiro: (With an aurora of death around him) "... Don't. Touch. Me."

Finally Toushiro had all the answers from everyone, although some were more like jokes. But before he headed home, Toushiro decided to get a few more that he knew would be good serious answers. He went and asked Ichigo and his friends.

Orihime: "That's a good question."

Chad: "What is my reason?"

Ichigo: "I already know mine. To protect."

Toushiro huffed a chuckle. He knew that was going to be Ichigo's answer.

Toushiro: "To be honest, I already knew your answer, Ichigo. But I asked out of respect."

Uryu: "I fight because I have to."

Ichigo: "You say that like it's a forced obligation!"

Orihime: "I guess I fight to help others."

Chad: "I fight to keep a promise I made to my Abuelo and Ichigo."

Toushiro: "Abuelo means grandfather in spanish, right?"

Chad was a little surprised that the young captain knew what abuelo meant. Toushiro quickly filled him in with a smile.

Toushiro: "Vegeta likes to complain or comment about something negative in another language so no one knows what he's saying. Trust me, you quickly learn what it is he's saying just by the tone he uses or by just knowing what he calls certain people during certain situations. It's kinda funny actually. Wángbā dàn is his favorite."

Uryu: "And what's that?"

Toushiro: (While laughing) "Chinese for bastard."

Ichigo and the others found that funny.

Ichigo: "Ho... I like that."

Later that afternoon, Toushiro returned home to start putting together his answer for Yamamoto. While he was gone Rangiku also worked on it, by getting all the answers everyone else gave.

Rangiku: "I thought that knowing everyone else's answers would help you with yours, captain!"

Rangiku handed her captain a paper with all the answers the other squads gave. Everyone answered with what he thought they would.

Toushiro: "Thanks, Rangiku."

But Toushiro was having trouble. There was something bothering him.

Vegeta: "What's wrong? Didn't you get everything you need?"

Toushiro: "Yeah, I did. But it's not what I was expecting."

Vegeta: "How's that?"

Toushiro: "Most of these answers sound more like what they are willing to die for rather than why they fight."

It was then that the young captain realized that the real answer had been in front of him all along. Toushiro went to work preparing his answer for Yamamoto. Once he was finished, he submitted it and returned home for the evening. When Yamamoto read all of the submissions, he was surprised by one and only one. The next day he called all of his captains in for a meeting. No one knew what for but they still attended anyway. Once everyone was there, the old man began.

Yamamoto: "Thank you all for coming. As you know... I assigned a challenge to you all to answer me one simple question. Why do we fight? Apparently it was an easy assignment since nearly everyone submitted their answer almost immediately. All of your answers were terrible!... Except for one."

Everyone payed more attention now.

Yamamoto: "One person decided to delve deeper into the question... And his answer was probably the simplest and yet most powerful answer I have ever heard. The reason I have summoned you all here... is so that you all can hear it."

Everyone listened as Yamamoto began reading the paper he held in his hand. The moment he began, Toushiro smiled.

It was his.

Yamamoto: "Why do we fight? What is it that drives us to wield our strength on the battlefield? Is it for fame? For pride? For personal goals? Is it because we have to? Or is it because we want to?

For those who do not fight, the answer is difficult to see. But for those who do fight, for us warriors... the answer is clear. I asked myself and many other warriors this same question.

Each of us has a different reason to fight...

For justice...

For pride...

For honor...

For research...

The sheer pleasure of it...

To keep a promise...

To repay an act of kindness...

For redemption...

For fame...

For glory...

For what you value most...

To get stronger...

To prove yourself...

For the innocent...

To help those in need...

Because you feel like you must...

For the past...

For the future...

For friends...

For family...

To protect...

To live...

All these answers are different... But I only see one.

So what is our reason to fight? Why do we fight?

The answer is actually simple.

What we are willing to die for...

Is what we are willing to fight for..."

The End.


End file.
